Lubricating mechanism



LUBRICATING MECHANISM Filed May 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'rnons BRADY, or mar omen, NEW m assrenon r o'rlsnnnvaroa coirrm, or uan cm, m mean, a conrona'rron or raw masu.

Lumuca'rmo ncnamsx.

Application fled Kay :0, 1m. Serial ll'o. arm.

The present invention relates to lubricating mechanism and particularly to such mechanism adapted for the lubrication of elevator guide rails.

One feature of the invention is the provision of improved lubricatin mechanism which automatically sup lies lubricant to the various guide rails in esired amounts and without waste and which 0 rates to supply lubricant only when the e'vator car is in operation.

Another feature is to provide such mechanism which is of simple and rugged construction, which is'positive and re iable in operation, which can be cheaply manufactured and installed and which can be located in an accessible position.

Still another feature resides in the provision of such mechanism which requires substantially no attention during operation 7 other than refilling and for which the number of refilling operations is minimized.

Other features and advanta will become apparent from the followmg description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lubricator partly in section to illustrate certain structural features;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same, with the mechanism below the top plate omitted;

' Figure 4 is a section, taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2, with the mechanism below the plunger supporting plate omitted;

Figure 5 is a section, taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2, with the base of the lubricator omitted;

Figure 6 is a top view, partly in section, of a lubricant distributin shoe;

Figure 7 is a side view of the same; and

Figure 8 is a schematic representation of the manner in which the lubricating mechanism may be arranged in an elevator system.

In accordance with the referred arrangement, the frame of the In ricator comprises a base 10, two standards 11 and 12, and a top plate 13. The standards are secured, as by set screws 14, in sockets in the bosses 15 formed on the base 10. The top of each standard is arranged to be screwed into the top plate 13, lock. nuts 16 being provided for rigidity of construction. Sides 19 extend upwardly from the. base 10 to form a drip pan. The base is provided with mounting brackets 29.

our lubricant reservoirs 17, 18, 20 and 21 are form 0 an elongated container open at its upper'end. The lower end ofeach reservo1r extends into a collar 22, the collars; and therefore the reservoirs, being positioned by means of lugs 23 formed on the base 10. As illustrated in Figure 5, the relative positions of the reservoirs at their tops are maintained by means of a spacin and clamping plates 25 and 26. The standards 11 and 12 extend through apertures in bosses 27 formed on opposite ends of the spacing plate. Set screws 28 extend through t e bosses 27 against the standards for securmg the s acing plate in position. 'A plura 'ty of s oes 30, one for each reservoir, are formed on the spacing voirs are held against t e shoesand the clampin plates against the reservoirs by means 0 screws 31 extending into centrally disposed bosses on the spacing plate. sleeve 32 may be arranged on each screw 31 between its clamping plate and boss for preventing injury to the reservoirs by the ap lication of undue force to the screws.

iach reservoir is provided with a displacement plunger 33. The plungers extend into the reservoirs and may fit therein very loosely. Each plunger is closed at its bottom end and is provided with a cap 34 at its top. The caps may be secured to the plungers in any suitable manner, for example as by brazing. A stem 35 is formed on each cap, the stems being secured in apertures in the plunger supporting plate 36 as by pins. Thestandards 11 and 12 extend through apertures in bosses 37 formed on the sup orting plate to guide the plungers.

As illustrated in Figure 4, jaws 40 and 41 are pivotally mounted atone end, as by a bolt 42, on the supporting plate 36. On the end opposite its pivot point, each jaw is provided with a vertical pin 43. The spreader 45 is formed with a pair of angularly disposed slots 44, eac slot being adapted to receive one of the pins 43. An

operating screw 46 for the spreader 45 is rotatably mounted in a bearing in the boss provided, each reservoir being of the plate 24 Y late'. The reser- 47 formed on the su porting screw is positioned in the boss by means a shoulder 48, formed by enlarging the body of the screw, and a nut 50, the shoulder abutting against the outer side of the boss and the nut against the inner side. The screw extends into a threaded aperture in a yoke 51 formed on the spreader. A rod 52 is provided in the enlarged portion of the screw to form an operating handle.

Each jaw is formed with a semi-circular threaded groove 53. These grooves are adjacent each other so that a nut is formed when the jaws are brought together. tical operating screw 54 extends into this nut, the screw being supported at its lower end by a vertical bearing 55 formed in spacing plate 24. Threads are not formed on a portion of the screw at the top, this unthreaded portion extending through a bearing 56 formed in the top plate 13. A ratchet wheel 57 is secured to the screw above the top plate as by a pin 58. An operating arm 60 is pivotally mounted on the screw above the ratchet wheel 57, being positioned by means of a washer 61 and pin 62. The operating pawl 63 for the ratchet wheel 57 is arranged to slide in a cylinder 64 formed on the outer end of the operating arm. The pawl is pressed into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by means of a spring 65 provided in the cylinder. The outer end of the spring abuts against an adjustable stop 66 screwed into the cylinder, a nut 67 being provided to lock the s'to in adjusted position. A screw 68 exten s through a slot 70 in the cylinder wall into the awl to form a guide.

The arm 60 may be operated by means of a solenoid 71. The coil 72 of the solenoid is mounted between two brackets 73 secured to top plate 13. The solenoid plunger 74 is formed with a collar 75. A compression spring 76 is arranged on the plunger between the collar 7 5 and adjacent bracket 73, the spring tending to maintain the plunger in the extended position illustrated. A curved rib 78 extends vertically from the arm 60 and is provided with a plurality of slotted lugs 80, 81, 82 and 83 arranged at different distances from the screw 54. A link 77 connects the plunger 74 and the arm 60, the link extending-into the slot of a selected lug, to which lug it is pivotally secured by a removable pin 84. Thus, with the link connected to lug 80, upon energization of coil 72, the ratchet wheel is caused to advance one tooth. With the link connected to lug 81, twice the movement of the ratchet wheel is obtained. Three or four times the movement may be obtained by connecting the link to lugs 82 or 83 respectively. A projection 85 is formed on the bottom of the operating arm 60, the projection being arranged to slide upon the top A t erside of the rim of the ratchet wheel so as to support the outer end of the arm.

9 A fixed pawl 86 for the ratchet wheel is formed on an arm 87, the arm being pivoted to the top plate 13 as by a bolt 88. The ixed pawl is pressed into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by a 5 ring 90 vided for locking the screw in adjusted position.

As illustrated in Figure 5, all the reservoirs-are filled from the cup 96. Tracing the filling line for reservoir 17 for example, a pipe 97 extends to the left from the bottom of the cup 96, through the elbow joint 98, another pipe 100, into one end'port of a T joint 101 and out of the middle port of the T joint into pipe 102. A collar 103 is brazed or otherwise secured to the reservoir 17 above the spacing plate 24. An aperture 104 extends through a boss 105 formed on the collar to the interior of the reservoir. The outer end of this aperture is threaded to receive the pipe 102. A collar 103 is provided on each reservoir, each collar being formed with a boss 105. A pipe 102 is provided for each reservoir, each pipe being similarly secured in an aperature formed in corresponding boss 105; Thus the filling line for reservoir 18 continues from the other end port of the T joint 101 through pipe 106, elbow joint 98, to pipe 102 The outlets for the lubricant from each reservoir are separate. Each collar 103 is provided with an additional boss 107. An aperture 108 extends through each boss to the interior of the respective reservoir. The outer end of each aperture is threaded to receive an outlet pipe 110. This construction is clearly illustrated for reservoir 18 in Figure 1. The pipe 110 for this reservoir extends into the middle port of a T joint 111. The top port of this joint is closed by means of a plug 112. The lower port is connected by means of a union 113 to a tube 114. As illustrated for reservoir 17, the tube 114 is connected at its lower end to a lubricant distributing shoe 115. The tube extends into a passage 116 formed in the upright portion 117 of the shoe and is secured therein by means of a set screw 118. The details of one of the lubricant distributing shoes are illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7. the bottom of the shoe is formed with two branches 120 and 121 and a connecting yoke 122. The passage 116 extends into the yoke 122 where it diverges into two recesses 123 and 12/1 formed in branches 120 and 121 respectively.

Each recess slopes-slightly downwardly 1n 1ts branch as illustrated in Figure 7. The

guide rail 125 extends between thebranches 120 and 121 up to the oke 122. Lugs 126 depend from the brane es 120 and 121 and the yoke 122. A vertical groove 127 is formed in each branch andits respective lug adjacent the side of the guide rail. A similar groove 128 is formed in the yoke 122 and its lug adjacent the face of the guide rail." A passage 130 connects groove 127in branch 120 with the recess 123. A similar passage 131 connects groove 127 in branch 121 with the recess 124. The groove 128 is connected with both recesses by a passage Bosses 133 are formed on the branches 120 and 121 through which set screws 134 extend for clamping the shoe to the guide rail. Referring particularly to Figure 8, 140

designates the elevator car and 141 the counterweight. The guide rails for both the car and the counterweight are designated 125 with the ide shoes designated 142. A separate lu ricant distributing shoe 115 is mounted at the top of each guide rail, these distributing shoes being connected by the tubes 114 to the separate reservoirs 17, 18, 20 and 21. A cam 143 ismounted on the car frame for engaging the operating rollers 144 on switches 145 and 146. Each switch is biased to open position, as by a spring 160. The switches are for causing the energization of solenoid coil 72 and are preferably arranged for operation as the-car aproaches the terminal landings. The lubricator may be located at any convenient point such as on the secondary level grating or the pent house floor and the tubes 114 shaped accordingly; I v

In order to fill the reservoirs, the screw 46 i turned in such direction as to pull the spreader 45 to the left, as viewed in Figure 4. The pins 43 are thus caused to slide outwardly in slots 44, spreading the jaws 40 and 41 so as to release the plunger supporting plate 36 from the screw 54. The support- 1ng plate may now be moved upwardly on the standards until the bosses 37 strike against stops, such as pins 137, provided on standards 11 and 12. With the supporting plate in this position, the bottoms of the diservoirs are filled may be determined by observing the level of the lubricant in the reservoirs or by observing the instant that the lubricant starts to remain in the cup 96. With the reservoirs properly filled, the lubricating mechanism is ready for operation.-

Upon the elevator car nearing the top floor, the cam 143 enga es rollerv 144, causing the closure of swltc 145 to complete a circuit for solenoid coil 72. The/solenoid then acts to pull in its plunger 74 against the force of spring 76, the plunger in turn acting through the link 77 to move the operating arm 60 clockwise (as viewed in Figure \1%. about the screw 54 Assuming that link 7 is connected to lug 83 as illustrated, the arm 60 operates through pawl 63 to cause the ratchet wheel 57 to advance four teeth. The movement of the ratchet wheel thus ohtained causes a corresponding rotation of the screw 54, the screw in turn-acting to move the supporting plate 36, and therefore the plungers 33, downwardly a certain distance. Each plunger, as a result of this movement, displaces a certain amount of lubricant from its respective reservoir. Referring particularl to reservoir 18 in Figure 1, thedisplace lubricant, flows through aperture 108 and pipe 110 into the T joint 111. F roin the T joint it flows under the influence of gravity through tube 114 into the lubricant distributing shoe 115. In the distributing shoe the lubricant flows into the recesses123 and 124 from the passage 116. Assuming that the lubricating mechanism has previously been in operation, accumulated lubricant remains in the recesses so that the additional lubricant now supplied causes the flow of lubricant from the recesses through the passages 130 and 131 and the passage 132 into the grooves 127 and groove 128 respectively. This overflowing lubricant is guided by groove 128 onto the face of the guide rail and by grooves 127 onto the sides of the guide rail. The lugs 126 prevent any tendency of the lubricant to flow away from the guide rail and drip down the hatch. Lubricant displaced from the other reservoirs is fed to the respective guide rails in the same manner as above described.

It is to be noted that, as the car continues its movement in approaching the top floor, the operating roller 144 of switch rides off the cam 143, spring causing the return of the roller arm to its former position to separate the switch contacts. This is the condition of the switch a illustrated in Figure 8 with the car at rest at the upper landing. The solenoid coil 72 is therefore deenergized, spring'76 acting to move the solenoid plunger 74, and therefore the operating arm 60, into its former position. The ratchet wheel 57 is maintained in its moved position by the fixed pawl 86. The operating pawl spring 65, however, yields to-permit the return movement. It is to be noted that the cam 143 is so secured to the car, as by brackets 161, as to have an inner and outer cumming surface. During the above described operation of closing switch 145, the operating roller 144 rode on the outer surface of the cam. As the car moves down from the top floor however, the roller of switch 145 rides on the inner surface of the cam, preventing reengagement of the switch contacts. Upon disengagement of the roller and cam, spring 162 causes the return of the roller arm to the position illustrated.

Upon the cars approaching the bottom floor, cam 143 closes switch 146, again completing the circuit for solenoid coil 72, and, as the car continues its movement, the se aration of the switch contacts is therea er effected in the manner described above. The purpose of the subsequent separation of the contacts of switches 145 and 146 is in the interest of reducing current consumption, particularly as the car may remain at the terminal landings for long periods of time. The lubricator, therefore, again acts to feed lubricant to each distributing shoe. The lubricant thus fed to the guide rails is picked up and distributed over the whole length of the rails by the car and counterweight rail shoes. The purpose of preventing the reenergization of the solenoid 72 as the car leaves the terminal landings is in the interest of eliminating excessive supply of lubricant to the guide rails. If deslred, the parts may be arranged so that the lubricator will be operated upon the car leaving the terminal landings as well as upon approaching them. The above described action is repeated each time one of the switches 145 and 146 is operated until the end of the threaded portion of screw 54 is reached. The remainder of the screw below the threaded portion is reduced in diameter so as to permit continued movement of the plungers until disengagement of the jaws and screw finally occurs. The parts are constructed and arranged so that this disengagement occurs just before the plungers reach the bottoms of the reservoirs. When the point of disengagement is reached, the reservoirs may be again filled with lubricant in the manner above described. It is to be understood that the lubricator may be oper ated by contacts operated by other moving parts of the elevator system, and further that the operation of the lubricator may be effected mechanically as, for example, by a rod extending into the hatchway for engagement by the car as it approaches the top floor or by the counterweight 'as the car approaches the bottom floor and suitable linkage for operatively connecting the rod with the operating arm of the lubricator.

Since the lubricator operates on the dis- 110 teeth on the ratchet wheel 57 and with I 180 effective threads on screw 54, the elevator system may be operated from four to six months under average conditions before refilling of the reservoirs is necessary. Furthermore, the location of the lubricator on the secondary level grating or the pent house floor renders it very convenient for refilling and places it under the direct supervision of the attendant in char e of the elevator machinery. Due to the act that the lubricator operates on the di lacemont principle, it is capable of feeding small quantities of lubricant to the guide rails, thus preventing excessive application of lubricant and eliminating the resulting waste. Waste of lubricant 1S eliminated also because of the fact that the lubricating mechanism operates only when the elevator car is in operation. The provision of only one lubricator for all the guide rails and the arrangement of the lubricator for mounting on the pent house floor or secondar level grating minimize the cost of instalation. Further, the adjustment provided for obtaining different movements of the ratchet wheel renders the lubricating mechanism satisfactory for all elevator installations. The arrangement of the lubricator with separate reservoirs insures the proper feed of lubricant to each guide rail, the ossibility of obstruction of the flow of ubricant being minimized by the provision of a free passage from each reservoir to its respective guide rail.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many a parently widely difl'erent embodiments 0 this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is 1. A lubricating device comprising, a plurality of lubricant reservoirs open to the atmosphere at their upper ends, a lubricant outlet in each reservolr near the upper end thereof, and volumetric displacing means for causing the overflow of lubricant from each reservoir into its respective outlet.

2. A lubricating device comprising, a plurality of lubricant reservoirs open to the atmosphere at their upper ends, an overflow outlet for each reservolr, lubricant displacing means for each reservoir, and means common to all the reservoirs for causing the operation of all the displacing means so as means common to all the plungers for causto cause the overflow of lubricant from each ing their immersion in the lubricant in the reservoir into its respective outlet. respective reservoirs so as to cause the flow 3. A lubricating device comprising, a pluof lubricant into said outlets. I rality of lubricant reservoirs open to the In testimony whereof, I have signed my atmosphere at their upper ends, a lubricant name to this specification. outlet in each reservoir near the upper end thereof, a plunger for each reservoir, and THOMAS BRADY. 

